Funding Issues May Stall Major Repair on Shelter Cove Road Slipout
Tony Seghetti, head of Humboldt County Public Works Engineering, is hopeful but a little concerned when he looks at the slipout eating into the Shelter Cove Road just past the Shelter Cove store.
“We’re working with Caltrans and Federal Highways to get funding,” he explained. “We almost have it…We have a promise from them.” Unfortunately, he pointed out, “The storm damage fund doesn’t have any money in it right now.”
Otherwise, he said, “I feel like we are in good shape.” First, the County will have to have preliminary work done. “Geotech engineers have to drill and figure out what kind of material there is in the area,” he explained. Then design plans have to be created.
“It will be fall before [the] design is ready to go,” Seghetti said. He says his best guess is that “the actual construction will be next year in 2019…I would like to say we would get someone out there by [this] fall but that is highly unlikely.”Seghetti said that is the funding piece that worries him the most. “If we see money, we should see it in a few months,” he said. But, he explained, “It makes it really hard if we have a couple million dollar repair there and we don’t have the budget to fix it.”
The County is also working on fixing a culvert that has issues on a possible alternative route into the Cove. “If we lose Shelter Cove Road, we are going to need a detour,” said Seghetti. Currently, Telegraph Road is looking like a good option but it needs some repairs also, he said.
Meanwhile, the County has a contractor working on putting up K-rail and a signal in the area of the Shelter Cove Road slipout.
Earlier Chapter: Shelter Cove Road Slip Sliding Away
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I wonder if defensive driving in other places means to slow up to appraise whether the road will hold up your car before crossing. I’m very wary of those suddenly appearing potholes in the middle of the stretch of road where culverts pass underneath.
“Geotech engineers have to drill and figure out what kind of material there is in the area,” he explained. Then design plans have to be created.”
I don’t get it. This same stretch of the road slipped out and was rebuilt 20 years ago. Didn’t they test the materials then? They’re going to have to carve a new road out of the hillside just like they did then, and because of the blue clay, it will likely slip out again eventually. That road was never meant to carry the amount of heavy traffic it gets.
Why are they re-creating the wheel?
Run on up to Last Chance grade, where they have spent 5 million, are about to spend 5 million MORE just studying a job they have known about for AT LEAST 50 years…and those studies are about how to fix what is falling down NOT studying the new route. Do not hold your breath waiting for Shelter Cove rd to be repaired, not if they can do nothing for a major US highway
the drilling is to see what the material is 30-100 ft into the hill to see if they can tie the road into solid or better material. Person building the fix also needs to know this info or they could make costly claims against county. Would be interesting to see photos of this road being built; the original layout might be contributing to the problem today.
Any excuse to throw their hands up and say: “too bad, next topic.” There’s an airstrip in the Cove, use that. Or close down the whole shebang. It’s no big deal. Tough shit.
Remember the squeaky grease gets the wheel. Hang onto your wallet while you are being run over.
Fennell 1
Fennell 2
Why is she standing there smiling? Is she mental ? Did she really think this is a great photo opp ?
That channel they made with the asphalt will now direct all the water off shelter cove road and directly into the slide causing even more damage .
Where is Fennell?
In China?… they would have this MFER fixed in a week!
In Humboldt it would have been fixed in a week, 50 years ago.
We go through this every five or ten years or so. The Humboldt Supes forget that everything, commerce, social activity, law enforcement, you-name-it depends on roads. No roads, no go. We’re supposed to believe that nobody knows the kind of soil they have after all these years?Bullshit. If there is no money, find the money or tell us what happened to it. They’re oblivious. Bull Creek Road was unacceptable all summer for tourists or anyone. When you close down the parks in winter, there are no toilets, showers or anything else.
All that yappin sure isnt gonna fix the damn road! Soil sample? Everyone got their hands in the pot here and first comes the soil experts. Wtf! Fix the damn road already!
Humboldt County is poor and in trouble. Even Eureka has potholed, unmaintained streets… If the county can’t even fix those city streets, it’s doubtful they will ever get around to fixing this road. California is in big trouble and many are moving out of the state.